Two Britons killed in SA accident

Two British women were killed and 20 people injured when their bus overturned on Thursday, Mpumalanga police said. The deceased were reportedly both 19-year-olds but police said they couldn't confirm this yet

The deceased were reportedly both 19-year-olds but Hlathi declined to confirm this, saying police could not reveal information which could identify them.

The tour truck was travelling from Swaziland to Nelspruit on the R40 when the driver lost control and the vehicle veered off the road at midday, said Captain Leonard Hlathi.

The accident happened between Josephsdal border post and Barberton.

The vehicle was carrying 18 British students, two British teachers, a Zimbabwean driver and a South African tour guide.

Four passengers were critically injured, and one, a male passenger, was airlifted to a Nelspruit hospital.

The other injured were taken to MediClinics in Nelspruit and Barberton and a provincial hospital in Barberton by ambulance.

Hlathi said they were in a stable condition.

He said the British nationals were due to return home on Friday and were not believed to be in the country for the World Cup.

They arrived in South Africa on June 1.

Police had opened a culpable homicide docket, said Lieutenant Colonel Leon Engelbrecht of the Mpumalanga police.

Third British tourist diesA third British tourist died in hospital after the overland tour vehicle overturned in Mpumalanga on Thursday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Nelspruit Medi-Clinic spokeswoman Robyn Baard said a 22-year-old man who was a student died around 8pm.

"He had multiple internal injuries and organ damage," Baard said. She could not give a definite cause of death on Thursday evening.

"He had been to the theatre twice during the night but died because of the extent of his injuries."

British High Commission spokesman Gary Benham, who earlier confirmed the deaths of two 19-year-old female students, said the man was in theatre since arriving at the hospital.

The three were part of a group of 20 British tourists, who were on an overland safari in South Africa when their vehicle tipped over near the Josephsdal border post between South Africa and Swaziland near Barberton on Thursday.

The vehicle carried 18 British students, two British teachers, a Zimbabwean driver and a South African tour guide.

"Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those involved," Benham said.

The group was apparently on tour through Swaziland and South African and was not in the country for the Soccer World Cup.

There were 11 patients still in the Nelspruit Mediclinic, Baard said. Two of them were still in critical conditions in the intensive care unit.

Benham said four of the group have been discharged and joined three of the group in a hotel in Nelspruit for the night.

The driver was treated at another hospital in Nelspruit and has been discharged. Sapa